The attitude of equaling the love we feel for others with the one we feel for ourselves is very difficult to cultivate unless we have some familiarity with Dharma. However if we do not learn to esteem others, our interest in them will be unstable, it will be difficult for us to maintain good relationships and we will never be truly satisfied. Therefore we should always consider others as something very valuable and feel love and affection for them.
If we live in a community in which an attitude of affection and consideration is maintained, we will develop affectionate love naturally and enjoy peace and happiness. We should think in the following way: Just as I want to be happy, others also want to be happy. Therefore, I have to make an effort to make others as happy as I would like to be.

PRACTICE DURING DAILY LIFE

Outside of our meditation, we must first try to put this into practice with our friends and those with whom we relate normally, and then, when we have acquired some experience, we can include an increasing number of beings until finally we cover everyone without exception. Nagaryuna says: “Even if we are not able to directly help others, we should try to generate the intention to do so. If we cultivate this aspiration with increasing intensity, we will naturally find a way to help them. “